The dictionary of Lost words

By Pip Williams

I think this is one of the loveliest books I have read.

Who would have thought you could explore feminism from the perspective of a dictionary? I admire Pip Williams’ capacity to achieve this, enmeshed in a lifelong memoir of a female protagonist who has (as many time-honoured heroines) no mother, and a very supportive, yet not quite doting father. Predicated on as much of a true story (that of the writing of the dictionary which is outlined at the rear of the text) as Pip could uncover, this novel has a fabulous sensitivity to the times and history and is a completely plausible read.

Esme is a sympathetically realistic and understated heroine and Pip tells her story in a thoughtful and insightful manner from her early childhood whims and insecurities to her adolescent passions and challenging of the social order, to her adult hesitance to open herself to further vulnerability.

From an author who describes herself as having “a love- hate relationship with words and dictionaries…. and trouble spelling words” Pip Williams has written an incredibly eloquent and articulate novel with enormous sensitivity to characters, history and the words themselves.

If you love a good narrative and are remotely interested in words and how they influence our lives (or if you have never even thought about that before), and solid characters and history then this novel is an absolutely must-read.